Peter Schilling [2]In 2004, director Amir Bar-Lev [3] first approached the parents of young Marla Olmstead [4] with the idea of making a documentary of her extraordinary talent. Over the course of a year, this four-year-old girl from Binghamton, New York, sold nearly $300,000 worth of abstract paintings, was covered by news outlets from around the world, and then, on 60 Minutes [5], had her reputation sullied by accusations that her father was the real artist, or at least an over-imposing coach.

.

Bar-Lev’s masterful My Kid Can Paint That [8] leaves viewers questioning what they see, and pondering the nature of modern art, parenting, and the role and responsibility of the media.

Uptown Theater [9], 2906 Hennepin Ave., Minneapolis; 612-825-6006.